Washim, Oct 5 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the Congress party saying that it does not consider Dalits, tribals, poor and backward people as its own and keeps them away from the mainstream.

“The Congress wants to keep Dalits as Dalits, the poor as poor. So beware of the Congress. Urban Naxals are running the Congress. The party wants to divide the country. So it is trying to divide us. So be one and united to foil the Congress party’s plot. This is the time to be together,” he said at the public rally.

The Prime Minister referred to the recent seizure of drugs worth thousands of crores in Delhi saying that the main accused turned out to be a Congress leader.

“The Congress is pushing the youth to consume drugs. They want to contest elections from the money earned through drug business,” he alleged.

He called upon the youth and the people in general to be aware of the Congress party’s tactics and unitedly fight against it.

“The Congress gave prominence to a particular family which wanted to rule the country. The Congress party always took a duplicitous stance towards the Banjara community. Our Banjara community has played a major role in the formation of India and in the social life of India. Great men of this society have done everything in art, culture, Defence and trade,” said PM Modi.

“It was the responsibility of the Indian government to restore the name and pride of the Banjara community after Independence. However, the Congress governments alienated Banjaras from the mainstream communities,” claimed the Prime Minister.

“The Banjara community has played a significant role in enriching the cultural heritage of India. In every sector, be it art, tradition, spirituality, trade and commerce, people from the Banjara community have made immense contributions,” he said.

“However, those who are being neglected, Modi worships them. The BJP-led government at the Centre took a slew of decisions for the development of the Banjara community,” said PM Modi.

He further added that Devendra Fadnavis during his Chief Ministership had launched the Banjara Virasat Museum but it was blocked by the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

However, he noted that it was further revived and completed by the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government at an expenditure of Rs 700 crore,” said the Prime Minister.

PM Modi said polling is underway in Haryana, adding that the people of Haryana should vote in large numbers to push the state’s development.

Earlier, the Prime Minister performed Darshan at Jagdamba Mata Temple, Poharadevi. He paid tribute to the Samadhis of Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj in Washim.

He inaugurated the five floor Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community.

Poharadevi is one of the important and well-known pilgrimages of Maharashtra.

The PM also launched a slew of initiatives for the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore.

In line with his commitment to empower farmers, the Prime Minister disbursed the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers.

With the 18th instalment release, the total funds released to farmers under PM-KISAN will be around Rs 3.45 lakh crore.

Further, he launched the 5th instalment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana disbursing about Rs 2,000 crore.

The PM showered praises on the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra for providing additional Rs 6,000 to farmers annually under the Namo Krishi Samman Nidhi.

He criticised the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi government for blocking several irrigation schemes.

He claimed that while the Centre was sending funds to the state for farmers’ welfare, the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders were allegedly involved in corruption.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation more than 7,500 projects under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), worth over Rs 1,920 crore.

The major projects include custom hiring centres, primary processing units, warehouses, sorting and grading units, cold storage projects, post-harvest management projects among others.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation 9,200 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with a combined turnover of around Rs 1,300 crore.

Further, he launched the Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology.

He also dedicated five solar parks with a total capacity of 19 MW across Maharashtra under Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana – 2.0.

During the programme, he will also honour beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.

He also distributed cheques to some women beneficiaries under the scheme.